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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline FEBRUARY 07, 2025 | The Indian Eye 20

‘Anuja’ strikes a chord, secures

nomination for Oscars 2025

OUR BUREAU voking piece that makes us reflect
deeply on the power of choices and
Los Angeles, CA
how they shape the course of our
he Indian short film ‘Anuja’ lives. I am immensely proud to be as-
has secured a nomination in sociated with such a phenomenal and
Tthe Best Short Film (Live Ac- impactful project,” she added.
tion) category at the 97th Academy As per Guneet Monga, “’Anuja’
Awards. is a story of unparalleled courage, a
The film will compete against film made with a lot of heart. Direc-
Alien, I’m Not a Robot, The Last tor Adam J. Graves delivers a mes-
Ranger and A Man Who Would Not sage through an empowered and en-
Remain Silent. tertaining lens.”
The nominations for the 97th “I’m honoured to be part of the
Academy Awards were announced journey ahead, alongside Produc-
on Thursday by Bowen Yang and Ra- ers Mindy Kaling, Suchitra Mattai
chel Sennott. and Krushan Naik, and now one
“Anuja” centers on the nine- of the most powerful Brown voices
year-old title character, who works to champion our story - Priyanka
in a back-alley garment factory with Priyanka Chopra and Guneet Monga children around the world, who are Chopra Jonas.”
her older sister Palak. The narrative among others. faced with the impossible decision This is Monga’s third nomination
follows the young protagonist as she On being associated with the between a future they cannot yet see at the Oscars. Her earlier projects,
faces a decision that will impact both film, Priyanka in a statement, said, and the immediate realities of their ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ and ‘Pe-
her future and her family. “This beautiful film shines a spotlight present.” riod: End of Sentence’, won Oscars,
The film is backed by celebrities on a subject that affects millions of “Anuja is a poignant, hought-pro- bringing glory to Indian cinema.

India accuses Canada of interference in internal affairs,

rejects report on election meddling in Canada

OUR BUREAU Canada’s electoral process. 2024 expelled six Indian diplomats a retaliatory tactic, to punish deci-
after police collected evidence that sions that run contrary to a state’s
New Delhi they were part of an Indian govern- interests. This may have been the
n a strong-worded statement, In- “India is the second most ac- ment “campaign of violence”. India case with a disinformation cam-
dia rejected a Canadian report al- tive country engaging in elec- then expelled six Canadian diplomats paign that followed the Prime Min-
Ileging that the Indian government toral foreign interference in hours after it summoned Canada’s ister’s announcement regarding
interfered in Canada’s elections. charge d’affaires Stewart Wheel- suspected Indian involvement in
The Ministry of External Affairs Canada. Like the PRC, India er and conveyed that the “baseless the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar
(MEA) said that it is in fact Canada is a critical actor on the world targeting” of the Indian High Com- (though again no definitive link to a
which has been consistently interfer- missioner and other diplomats and foreign state could be proven),” the
ing in India’s internal affairs. stage. Canada and India have officials in Canada was completely report said.
“We have seen a report about worked together for decades, unacceptable. On November 20, India strongly
alleged activities on purported inter- “In October 2024, Canada ex- refuted the reports in Canadian me-
ference. It is in fact Canada which but there are challenges in the pelled six Indian diplomats and con- dia regarding the killing of India-des-
has been consistently interfering in relationship. Many of these are sular officials in reaction to a targeted ignated Khalistani terrorist Hardeep
India’s internal affairs. This has also campaign against Canadian citizens Singh Nijjar, and said it should be
created an environment for illegal long standing and inform In- by agents linked to the Government dismissed with the “contempt they
migration and organized criminal dia’s foreign interference activ- of India,” the report alleged. deserve.”
activities. We reject the report’s in- The report also claimed that In- The Ministry of External Affairs
sinuations on India and expect that ities,” the report said. dia spread disinformation regarding further emphasised that “smear cam-
the support system enabling illegal the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, paigns” like this only “further dam-
migration will not be further counte- The 123-page report also talk- however, the report contradicted it- age our already strained ties.”
nanced,” the statement read. ed of expelling of six diplomats’ in self by saying that Canada could not Khalistani terrorist Hardeep
The report from the Canadian October last year, dubbing them as find a link to a foreign state on his Singh Nijjar was killed outside the
Commission alleged that after Chi- ‘agents.’ The report referred to the killing. Gurdwara in Surrey, British Colum-
na, India was active in interfering in time when Canada on October 14, “Disinformation is also used as bia, on June 18, 2023.

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